Actuator for retractable wall



Nov. 15, 1966 LE ROY H. EASTON Filed March 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ig' I L/k/IO i 5 /I2 i i g l E i E '/IIO. IE

INVENTOR. LEROY H. EASTON Mina AT TO (2 NEIYv Nov. 15, 1966 LE ROY H.EAsToN ACTUATOR FOR RETRACTABLE WALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19,1964 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. LEROY H. EASTON United States Patent OfliC Patented Nov. 15,1966 3,285,325 ACTUATOR FOR RETRACTABLE WALL Le Roy H. Easton, CuyahogaFalls, Ohio, assignor to Ametek, Inc., a corporation of Delaware FiledMar. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 353,211 2 Claims. (Cl. 160310) This inventionrelates to retractable walls and particularly to an electric actuatorfor such a retractable wall.

In the copending application Serial No. 67,062, filed October 25, 1960,titled Weatherproof Retractable Wall, now abandoned, there is disclosed.and claimed a retractable wall that comprises a flexible panel includingvertically spaced horizontal rods fastened to the panel. The panel isadapted to be wound and unwound on a roller.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel actuator forraising and lowering the retractable wall.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such an actuatorwherein the retractable wall may be raised manually in the event ofpower failure.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a retractable wall embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the portion of theretractable wall embodying the actuator, parts being broken away.

FIG. 3 is fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the actuator shown in FIG. 2, partsbeing broken away.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 55 in FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIG.5.

Referring to FIG. 1, the retractable wall comprises a flexible panel 10having longitudinally spaced horizontal rods 11 therein which extendbeyond the ends of the panel and ride in tracks 12 in the verticalmembers. The wall is adapted to be wound on a roller 13 to permit theinterior of the room to be opened to the adjoining area.

In accordance with the invention, an actuator 15 is provided on theupper end of the retractable wall and is adapted to drive one end of theroller 13 to raise and lower the retractable wall. As shown in FIG. 2,the actuator comprises a frame 16 in which an output shaft 17 isjournalled. The output shaft 17 has a slot 18 in one end thereof intowhich a projection 19 on the roller 13 extends.

The actuator 15 also includes a reversible electric motor 20 (FIG. 4)which has a drive shaft 21 journalled. between the flanges 22, 23 of theframe 16. The drive shaft 21 is provided with a worm 24 that engagesteeth 25 on the periphery of a gear 26, preferably made of plastic,journalled on a sleeve 27 around the output shaft 17. When thereversible motor 20 is operated, the drive shaft 21 rotates the gear 26.The control of the operation of the motor is achieved by a manual switch28 (FIGS. 2 and 3), which is electrically connected to the motor in amanner not shown.

A manually disengageable clutch is provided between the gear 26 and theoutput shaft 17 in order to permit the drive from the motor to bedisconnected in the event of power failure. This has the furtheradvantage, as presently described, of not interfering with the settingof the contact for controlling the movement of the motor.

Specifically, the clutch comprises a square pin 30 that extends radiallyoutwardly from the output shaft, the ends of the pin 30 engaging squareradial slots 31 in the hub 32 of the gear 26. A flat spring member 33has one end thereof engaging the frame 16 and held in position by ascrew 34. The face of the spring 33 engages and presses the pin 30 intothe slot 31. Spring 33 includes a slot which engages a shoulder 33a onthe output shaft. In the event of power failure, the other end 35 of thespring 33 can be engaged and moved to the dotted line position shown inFIG. 6, moving shaft 17 axially to disengage pin 30, permitting theroller 13 to be rotated independently of the drive from the motorincluding the gear 26. In this fashion, the great torque which would berequired to turn the motor through the gear and drive shaft 21 isobviated.

In order to control the movement of the panel and stop the operation ofthe motor when the flexible panel is wound entirely on the roller 13 orwhen the flexible panel has been unwound to its lowermost position, theactuator 15 includes switches which will stop the operation of themotor.

As shown in FIG. 5, the other end of the output shaft 17 is threaded asat 36 and a traveling nut 37, preferably made of plastic, is threaded onthe threaded end 36. A switch arm 33 is pivoted to the frame 16 about agenerally horizontal axis and its upper end is bifurcated as at 39 toengage opposed slots 40 in the traveling nut so that as the nut travelsback and forth to the rotation of the output shaft 17, the switch arm 38is pivoted. The lower end 41 of the switch arm 38 is adapted toalternately engage the ends of actuating arms 42 of the switches. Asshown, each actuating arm 42 has an insulator block 43 on the upper endthereof. Each arm 42 has shoulders 44 engaging the edges of a bracket 45whereby the actuating arm 42 is pivoted on the bracket 45. An electricalflat spring contact member 46 similarly has shoulders 47 pivoting it tothe bracket 45. A tension spring 48 extends between the lower end ofactuating arm 42 and the contact 46. As each actuating arm 42 is pivotedfrom the solid line position shown on the left in FIG. 5 to the solidline position shown on the right in FIG. 5, it swings the contact memberover center. In each switch, the respective actuating arm 42 is pivotedat 44 on the bracket 45, and similarly also a flat spring metalelectrical contact arm member 46 is pivoted at 47 on the bracket 45,with a tension spring 48 connected between the lower swinging end of arm42 and a point of the contact arm 46 above its pivot 47. For thenormally closed condition, as shown at the left switch in FIG. 5, thespring 43, in tending to shorten and to pull the bottom end of 42against the lower leg of the bracket 45, is located with its axis orline of action inward of the pivot axis at 44, thereby pulling andholding arm 46 in closed position. As the actuating arm is moved fromits normally closed position by arm 41, then by the swing of its lowerend the spring is further stretched and tensioned, and its line ofaction, approximately its axis (or the line between its points ofattachment on arms 42 and 46), shifts outwardly across and beyond thepivot axis at 47, thereby snapping arm 46 to its open position as shownin solid lines for the switch at the right of FIG. 5, with spring 48still under a tension greater than that for the closed position. As arm41 retreats, the tension in 46 swings the lower end of arm 42 backtoward the bracket, and snaps arm 46 to normally closed. position whenthe spring axis or line of action has again passed inward of the pivotaxis at 47. Thus, each switch is a normally closed switch with a springreturned actuating arm 42 which upon displacement by advance of arm 41is thrown to open condition returning to normal closed condition uponretreat of arm 41.

Each bracket 45 of each switch is mounted on a thin, flat insulatorblock 50 which is riveted to a main bracket 51. Bracket 51 is formedvwith a slot through which a screw 51a extends so that each bracket 51 isadjustably mounted on frame 16 to provide a rough adjustment of theposition of the switch thereon. The insulator block 50 and bracket hassome limited flexing movement relative to the frame 16 to permitadjustment of the time of engagement of the end 41 of the switch arm 38with an actuating arm 42. The lower ends of block 50 are interconnectedby a single flat spring 52 and the position of each block 50 and, inturn, of its corresponding contact is controlled by a screw 53 extendingthrough housing 54 surrounding the motor 20 into engagement with the endof the blocks 50. Spring 52 adds rigidity and insures contact of blocks50 with the ends of screws 53. In this fashion, the limits of theoperation of the motor can be established by rotating the screws 53inwardly and outwardly.

Since the manual disconnect clutch is provided between the gear and theoutput shaft, in the event of manual disengagement of the motor, thesettings of the contact swiches are not disturbed because the travelingnut continues to rotate even if the roller 13 is moved manually. It maybe noted that the manual disconnect may be needed. in the event of astorm where there is a power failure and it is desired to pull theflexible panel downwardly and unwind it off of the roller in order toclose the retractable wall.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided an actuator which issimple, eflicient and effective for raising and. lowering the flexiblepanel.

It has been found that it is preferable for the reversible motor to havea greater power in the direction of lifting of the flexible panel thanin the direction of lowering the flexible panel, since there is agreater load in lifting the panel.

In order to prevent overtravel due to the weight of the panel and rods11 when the panel is being lowered to close the opening, a disc 60 offriction material is interposed between the C-clip 61 on the end of thedrive shaft 21, and a corrugated spring 63 is interposed between acollar 64 in the casing 22 and the armature. The limit switch whichcontrols the de-energization of the motor when the panel is beinglowered is set to deenergize the motor just before the panel reaches itsfully extended lowered position. The weight of the panel and rods causesa continued movement or coasting action until the lowermost rod or panel11a (FIG. 1) strikes the base of the frame. During this movement, theweight of the panel 10 and rods 11 is transferred back through thegearing in the form of an upward thrust on the drive shaft 21. Thismaintains the spring 63 compressed between the armature and. the flangedcollar 64. When the bar 11a rests on the bottom of the frame, the weightof the panel 10 and rods 11 no longer produces an upward thrust on thedrive shaft 21. As a result, the load spring 63 forces the drive shaft21 downward, bringing the seat clip 61 against the friction disc 60 andforcing the friction disc against the frame 16. This positively stopsthe rotation of the drive shaft 21 and, in turn, the movement of thepanel so that the panel is stopped in closed position without any slackin the panel and without any wrinkling of the panel.

Iclaim:

1. For use in raising and lowering a flexible retractable wall that iswound and unwound from a roller, the combination compising an outputshaft,

means for journalling the output shaft in position adjacent one end ofthe roller for a driving engagement with the roller,

a gear rotatably mounted on said output shaft,

a reversible electric motor,

means interengaging said electric motor and. said gear,

clutch means between said output shaft and said gear,

said clutch means comprising a diametral pin in said output shaft andradial slots in said gear,

said pin having a square cross section,

and a spring arm engaging said, output shaft and yieldingly urging saidcross pin into engagement with said gear,

said spring arm being adapted to be manually tensioned and therebyremove the yielding force on said pin,

a traveling nut on said output shaft,

a switch arm pivoted, for engagement and swinging motion with themovement of said traveling nut,

a pair of switches,

a flexible element individual to each said switch,

means for mounting one end of said flexible element in such a mannerthat the other end of said flexible element has limited angularmovement,

means for mounting each said switch on its respective flexible element,

spring means interconnecting the free ends of said flexible element andyieldingly urging said free ends away from one another,

and means engaging and individual to each said flexible element forholding said lower end of said flexible element in fixed positionagainst the action of said spring means, and

wherein the slotted portion of said gear is made of plastic material.

2. For use in raising and lowering a flexible retractable wall that iswound and unwound from a roller, the combination comprising an outputshaft,

means for journalling the output shaft in position adjacent one end ofthe roller for a driving engagement with the roller,

a plastic gear rotatably mounted on said output shaft,

a reversible electric motor,

means interengaging said electric motor and said gear,

clutch means between said. output shaft and said gear,

a traveling nut on said output shaft,

a switch arm pivoted for engagement and swinging motion with themovement of said traveling nut,

a pair of contacts,

said contacts being alternately actuated by said switch arm toalternately control the movement of the electric motor in the twodirections of drive,

each of said pair of contacts being adjustable independently of theother,

said clutch means comprising a diametral pin in said output shaft havinga non-circular cross-section and radial slots in said gear,

and a spring arm engaging and yieldingly urging said cross pin intoengagement with said gear,

said spring being adapted to be manually untensioned and to be manuallytensioned and thereby remove the yielding force on said pin.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,066 5/1920Lemle 26859 X 2,466,103 4/1949 Hiester -310 X 2,850,088 9/1958 Purdy160201 X 3,038,536 6/1962 Rigby 160-193 3,134,273 5/1964 Wardlaw 74-625HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

2. FOR USE IN RAISING AND LOWERING A FLEXIBLE RETRACTABLE WALL THAT IS WOUND AND UNWOUND FROM A ROLLER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING AN OUTPUT SHAFT, MEANS FOR JOURNALLING THE OUTPUT SHAFT IN POSITION ADJACENT ONE END OF THE ROLLER FOR A DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROLLER, A PLASTIC GEAR ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID OUTPUT SHAFT, A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR, MEANS INTERENGAGING SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR AND SAID GEAR, CLUTCH MEANS BETWEEN SAID OUTPUT SHAFT AND SAID GEAR, TRAVELING NUT ON SAID OUTPUT SHAFT, A SWITCH ARM PIVOTED FOR ENGAGEMENT AND SWINGING MOTION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAVELING NUT, A PAIR OF CONTACTS, SAID CONTACTS BEING ALTERNATELY ACTUATED BY SAID SWITCH ARM TO ALTERNATELY CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR IN THE TWO DIRECTIONS OF DRIVE, EACH OF SAID PAIR OF CONTACTS BEING ADJUSTABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER, SAID CLUTCH MEANS COMPRISING A DIAMETRAL PIN IN SAID OUTPUT SHAFT HAVING A NON-CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION AND RADIAL SLOTS IN SAID GEAR, AND A SPRING ARM ENGAGING SAID YIELDINGLY URGING SAID CROSS PIN INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID GEAR, SAID SPRING BEING ADAPTED TO BE MANUALLY UNTENSIONED AND TO BE MANUALLY TENSIONED AND THEREBY REMOVE THE YIELDING FORCE ON SAID PIN. 